Strawberries and Cream Risotto

I know, I know. Strawberries in risotto seems kind of weird. Each of the other types of risotto I’ve made have been very much on the savory side, so the thought of tossing in fruit had even me wondering if it was really a good idea. As soon as the scent of strawberries simmering on the stove filled my kitchen though, I knew that it was going to turn out okay. And, much like the light orange hue of the butternut squash risotto, the strawberries dye the rice a lovely light pink color that I just love. Instead of the cheese I normally use in savory versions, I added cream, which gave it an extra velvety texture. Now, my head is filled with ideas for new fruit risottos to try – I’m especially excited for when blueberries are in season. If you love risotto, give this sweet version a go…and if you’re on the fence like I was, be adventurous and give it a try!

2 Tbsp butter

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and cut into chunks

1 cup arborio rice

1 cup white cooking wine

3 cups vegetable broth

1/4 cup heavy cream

Additional chopped strawberries, for garnish

In a small pot, bring the broth to a simmer. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat, and then add in the onion. Cook until softened.

Add in the strawberries, and cook until they soften as well.

Pour in the rice, and then cook 1-2 minutes. Add in the wine.

Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, until the rice has absorbed most of the wine. Continue this process with the broth, adding it 1/2 cup at a time until the rice has absorbed all of the broth. Cook until al dente, and then remove from the heat.

Stir in the cream, and garnish with additional strawberries if desired. Serve warm.

21 Responses

This whole recipe just totally blew my mind! As soon as I saw the picture when I opened the page I just gasped, “whoa!” I’ve never seen such a thing. And then I thought it was a dessert risotto until I read the recipe and I said WHOA again! How unusual. I bet it’s fantastic though – I love strawberries with onions in a salad so why not?

Whoa! Echoing Jennifer’s comment up there, you’re blowing my mind! Fruit risotto . . . wow. The onion threw me off a little, but I trust your taste. What if you stirred in extra chopped berries at the end? I bet that would be amazing . . . especially with a little dollop of mascarpone on top. Mmmm.

I’ve never made a risotto before, mostly because I’ll the recipes I’ve seen involve vegetables I don’t like (ie pea, mushroom) but this is one I can’t wait to try. We’re going strawberry picking this weekend. Perfect timing!

The thought of strawberries in risotto seems fine…but the onion threw me off. Do you eat this as dessert or a side savory? dish…My guess after re-reading the recipe and noticing the lack of sweetener and the wine/vegetable broth is that this is not dessert. Interesting idea. Thanks for the new twist.

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About Sugarcrafter

Hi there! I’m Tracy, and I live in upstate NY. My husband and I met in college and have been married since 2005. A Canning, baking, writing, photography, and even cleaning (yes, cleaning – it can be oddly relaxing), are all things that I enjoy. This blog brings all of those passions together – but […]more →